Effects of the anti-sucking device «SuckStop Müller» on calf behavior

Limit feeding total mixed rations exacerbates intersucking in year-old dairy heifers

Limit feeding is a practice that is used to improve feed efficiency and control growth in dairy heifers, but also has negative consequences associated with hunger and restriction of feeding behavior. One such consequence could be intersucking (i.e., the licking or sucking of another animal's teats or udder). This behavior is reported to varying degrees in heifers, and thus, our first objective was to evaluate whether intersucking increased in response to short-term (48 h) feed restriction. Intersucking interventions, such as nose rings, are often applied to specific animals, and so our second objective was to describe intersucking performance in individual heifers, including those that represent outliers in this population. We studied 42 heifers (9 Jerseys, 33 Holsteins) aged 12.8 ± 1.1 mo (mean ± SD). They were housed in 21 pairs, the experimental unit for our first objective. We used a switchback design with 3 periods of 2 d each where heifers were fed ad libitum total mixed ration in the first and third periods (Baseline and Return, respectively), and limit fed to 50% of ad libitum intake in the second period (Restriction). We scored time spent intersucking continuously and eating at 5-min intervals from video recordings from 0800 to 2000 h on 4 d (baseline d 2, restriction d 2, return d 1, and return d 2). Heifer pairs spent less time eating (16 ± 0.4% mean percentage of 12-h observations ± SE), more time intersucking (27 ± 7 s/12 h), and engaged in longer bouts of intersucking (23 ± 5 s/bout) on Restriction d 2 compared with all other days (eating: 34.7 ± 1.1%, 44.2 ± 0.9%, 35.8 ± 1.1% of 12-h; intersucking time: 7 ± 2, 7 ± 3, 10 ± 5 s/12 h; intersucking bout length: 3 ± 1, 2 ± 1, 3 ± 1 s/bout; Baseline d 2, Return d 1, Return d 2, respectively). There was no difference in the number of bouts of intersucking across days (1.3 ± 0.2 bouts/12 h). The drop in eating during feed restriction was followed by a rebound on Return d 1 before returning to baseline levels. Time spent intersucking did not differ among ad libitum periods. Overall, 90% of the heifers performed intersucking on at least 1 of the 4 d, and did this for 1 to 127 s/12 h (range) in 1 to 13 bouts/12 h. Of the heifers that intersucked, 55% did this at extreme levels relative to the rest of the experimental population (outliers). Solid feed restriction exacerbated intersucking in year-old heifers, but this behavior was widespread.

Development and application of a novel approach to scoring ear tag wounds in dairy calves

Application of ear tags in cattle is a common husbandry practice for identification purposes. Although it is known that ear tag application causes damage, little is known about the duration and process of wound healing associated with this procedure. Our objective was to develop a detailed scoring system and use it to quantify wound healing in dairy calves with plastic identification tags. Calves (n = 33) were ear tagged at 2 d of age, and wound photos were taken weekly until 9 to 22 wk of age. This approach generated 10 to 22 observations per calf that were analyzed using a novel wound scoring system. We developed this system to score the presence or absence of external tissue types related to piercing trauma or mechanical irritation along the top of the tag (impressions, crust, and desquamation) and around the piercing (exudate, crust, tissue growth, and desquamation). Ears were scored as "piercing only" when tissue around the ear tag was intact. We found that impressions, crust, tissue growth, and desquamation were still seen in many calves by 12 wk of age. This suggests that extrinsic factors, such as mechanical disturbance and irritation, may have contributed to prolonged wound healing. Indeed, impressions along the top of tag, likely caused by rubbing against the ear, were observed for nearly the full duration of the study. Further research is warranted to understand ways to improve the ear-tagging process.

Development and application of a scoring system for septum injuries in beef calves with and without a nose flap

The weaning period is a stressful time for beef calves because they must quickly gain independence from their dam. Gradual methods of weaning, such as when the calf is fitted with a nose flap to prevent suckling, are known to reduce the behavioral and physiological indicators of stress. Nose flaps are held in place by the nasal septum and are worn for 4 to 7 d. In the present study, the objectives were to 1) identify if a plastic nose flap worn for 7 d caused nasal injuries, (2) identify if factors like calf body weight or septum size predict injuries or flap loss, and (3) create a scoring system that could reliably score wound characteristics. Eighty-two (N = 82) Angus and Angus-Hereford crossbred beef calves were randomly assigned to 'Flap' or 'No Flap' treatments. Calves weighed 247 ± 29 kg and those with a flap had septums that were 39 ± 2 mm (mean ± SD). Images were taken of each nostril before flap insertion, on the day of removal, and 6 d after removal. Wounds were scored for the presence/absence of three characteristics in either nostril: damage (tissue where the flap rested was a different color than surrounding nostril), impression (edges of the wound were clearly raised or sunken), and blood. One trained observer scored a subset of photos (N = 64) twice, in a consistent manner for all three characteristics (damage, impression, and blood; 97%, 91%, and 100% agreement between 1st and 2nd evaluations, respectively), indicating that our system is repeatable. Thirty-two percent of calves in the Flap treatment lost their flap before the day of removal. No calves in the No Flap treatment were injured. All animals that kept their flap in for 7 d had damage and impressions in at least one nostril and 86% of calves had blood present immediately after nose flap removal (P ≤ 0.001 compared to No Flap) indicating that the flaps altered the nasal tissue and created open wounds. Six d after flap removal, 100% still had visible damage, 64% had impressions, and 29% had blood, indicating that while damage is longer lasting, wounds can start to repair after the flap is removed. Injuries were prevalent in all calves, thus there was no relationship between calf size (body weight or septum width) on these wounds (P ≥ 0.374). Body weight or septum size did not differ (P ≥ 0.489) between calves that kept or lost their flap. Injuries inflicted from a nose flap may counteract the previously documented benefits of this method of weaning, making it less advantageous than alternatives and raise concerns about other uses of these devices in other contexts.

Welfare implications on management strategies for rearing dairy calves: A systematic review. Part 2 - Social management

Introduction

Raising a healthy calf up to puberty is essential for optimal farm performance. It is therefore, it is necessary to promote animal welfare from the three spheres during this short period. Social management has been postulated as essential in lowering stress and consequently improving calf welfare during this period. Only the health sphere has been studied for a long time, but more recent studies have recently promoted positive experiences and emotional states from affective states or cognitive judgment and natural living spheres. A systematic review of different management strategies in rearing dairy calves according to the three spheres of animal welfare has been conducted using an electronic search strategy.

Methods

The analysis and extraction of information from the studies were performed according to a protocol. From 1,783 publications screened, only 351 met the inclusion criteria.

Results

The publications identified in the search can be divided into two main groups, feeding and social management, based on the main topic of the publication. This review provides an overview of social management, understood as the calf's interaction with others around it.

Discussion

Primary social management issues that emerged were social housing with congeners, separation from the mother and human-animal interaction, distributed in the three broad spheres of animal welfare. The review highlights unresolved questions about how social management practices affect the three spheres of animal welfare at this life stage and the need to standardize good socialization practices for this stage. In conclusion, all the information shows that social housing has improved animal welfare from affective states, cognitive judgment, and natural living spheres. However, gaps in research were identified in relation to the optimal time to separate the calf from the mother, the optimal time to group with conspecifics after birth and group size. Further research on positive welfare through socialization are needed.